1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fastening and securing devices in industrial, clothing, and other applications, and, more specifically, to belts and strap-type fastening devices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many industrial, clothing, and other applications which require the use of fastening and securing devices, such as, straps, belts, and ties. The prior art discloses variations of these devices in many different configurations and designs. Often, these devices require the use of an independent closure or buckling mechanism, which may or may not be permanently attached to the device. A well known example is the clothing belt. This belt comprises a strap of fabric, leather, or other material with a separate buckle typically made from plastic, metal, or wood. Usually, the buckle is semi-permanently attached to the strap.
Leather belts are very popular in the prior art. Nevertheless, leather is a material that could have limited availability and does not offer the potential for large scale automated production. Furthermore, leather, as with most types of materials for clothing belts, has limited potential for decoration or novel visual colors, textures, and cosmetic details.
In addition, many of the prior art closure devices are produced using labor-intensive processes. Consequently, these processes may result in relatively expensive or, alternatively, low-quality final products.
Another limitation of the prior art regards the modular creation of large belts from smaller pieces. One may be able to join two or more small belts together to form a larger belt, but the procedure is very awkward and the resulting belt may be difficult to maneuver.
Overall, the prior art closure devices do not lend themselves to wide flexibility in the manufacturing process and require separate buckling mechanisms.